RICHARD III

Thu 28 July - Saturday 6 August 2022 at 7.30pm (no performance on Sunday)
Performed in the open air in the courtyard of Abington Park Museum, Park Avenue South, Northampton NN1 5LW

Photo gallery

Richard III is a notoriously difficult play for an audience to get to grips with, especially if they see it as a "one-off" rather than at the end of the cycle of Henry plays.

There are numerous complex relationships between the characters for them to understand, especially as many of those characters are dead before the action starts. Director John Myhill was obviously well aware of this and provided a useful plot summary in the programme.

And then there is the part of Richard himself, a terrifying mountain for any actor to climb successfully - especially as many actors in the past have made their names and gone on to lasting fame with their performance of it: Richard Burbage in Shakespeare's day, David Garrick in the 18th Century, Edmund Kean in the 19th and Laurence Olivier and Anthony Sher in the 20th. Like many older members of the audience, I have seen both Olivier (on film) and Sher (in the theatre) and can testify that their success was largely due to their ability to grab the audience by the throat as it were, and THRILL them with Richard's evil energy.

Between them, Isaac Griggs (Richard) and John adopted a different approach - that of a slow-burning, brooding malevolence.

The advantage of this tactic was that when Richmond (Edward Toone) entered, with his handsome bearing and direct address to the audience, it was like the sun breaking through the clouds.

Here was an honest, upstanding man who would bring peace to a war-torn nation (and the fact that he was Elizabeth I's grandfather would not have gone unnoticed when it was first performed).

One of the things that impressed me most (and there were a lot of things) was the fact that nearly every member of the cast had a firm grasp on how to speak Shakespearian verse and that is by no means easy. My old drama teacher, Molly Topliss, who had worked with Tyrone Guthrie at the Old Vic in the 1930s had a rare compliment: "That was lovely, dear: I heard every word'. And I would apply Molly's compliment to the cast. Well done, John, for putting them through their paces.

There were some highly effective performances, particularly among the ladies: Sue Whyte (Queen Margaret), Nicola Osborne (Queen Elizabeth), Jan Stoppani (Duchess of York) and Carmen Stiponi (Lady Anne) all shone in the way that they moulded their different characters. And I was particularly impressed with James Lickman's Buckingham and James Burgess's Tyrell.

It was also very pleasing to see John's sure directorial touches at particular moments during the performance.

One enjoyable surprise was Chris Matthewman and Tom Rose's Murderers who popped up in various guises and provided delightful comic relief.

Further professionalism was provided by Mark Mortimer's simple but very successful set and Clare Brittain's capable hand, ensuring that the play ran smoothly and efficiently.

And the costume design. This wasn't a fancy-dress production with familiar costumes pulled out of storage like old friends. Rather it was thought-through and added significantly to the brooding atmosphere established by the rest of the production.

And finally, my dear friend Ingrid Heyman, who provided Continuity. I was sitting two seats away and did not hear her voice once! Well done everyone!

“That bottled spider, that foul bunch-backed toad!”

Shakespeare’s character Richard III (as distinct from his historical counterpart) was never going to win either a beauty pageant or a popularity contest, but the play itself remains hugely popular and the role made the late great Antony Sher into a theatrical superstar.

It hasn’t been performed by Masque since 1984 but I'm keen to get my teeth into helming this gripping play for 2022.

The story centres on the machinations of the physically twisted but mentally pin-sharp Richard and his desire to be king, letting nobody, not even his own brother or nephews get in his way.

Despite this he manages to be fascinating, even charming, and exploits the weaknesses and petty rivalries of those surrounding him to claw his way to the top – only to be (spoiler alert!) dragged back down by fate and an Elizabethan propaganda-fuelled “true” King-to-be.

It's not historically accurate, but it is very dramatically satisfying.

Experienced cast

Taking the title role will be newcomer Isaac Griggs, who was cast after an electrifying audition which also got James Lickman (recently seen in Constellations) the role of Buckingham and James Burgess (another newcomer, but recently in Duston Players’ The Ladykillers) the part of Tyrrel.

Several alumni from last year’s The Hunting Of The Snark return to Masque for this show, with seasoned Shakespeare veteran Rob Kendall playing Hastings, a lord who thinks he can trust Richard; The Bellman David Deegan as Clarence, Richard’s brother – surely he is safe; the Butcher and Beaver, Will Brown and Jen Kenny take the roles of Ratcliff and Catesby, Richard loyalists; and Sue Whyte (Boots in Snark) takes the opposite stance as the prophesying Margaret. Completing the hunters joining this production are Mairead Kearins (who played the Barrister) as ill-fated Rivers, Maggie Holland (the Pussycat) as a gentleman, and April Pardoe (the lovely Turkey) as a messenger.

It’s a testament to the strength in depth of the cast that we have such quality in every role.

Familiar faces

More familiar faces take their places in the cast as Nicola Osborne (last seen in 2019’s Love’s Labour’s Lost) plays Elizabeth, sister-in-law of Richard (but no safer for that); last year’s Taming of the Shrew gives us Jan Stoppani (who was also Gertrude in 2018’s Hamlet) as The Duchess of York; Tom Rose (who was Lucentio, as well as Solange in The Maids in the same year) as a murderer; Alistair Way (Biondello) as Brakenbury; Graham Breeze (Grumio, and more recently in The Gondoliers for Northampton G&S Group) as the Lord Mayor; and Roger Toone as The Archbishop of York.

Going back to 2019’s Treasure Island gets us Shanty Man Ste Applegate who this time plays King Edward IV, while Lynette Applegate who voiced the piratical parrot Captain Flint takes the role of another ill-fated lord, Grey, Angela Mayes (Mrs Crossley) is another gentleman, and David Chappell (Black Dog!) is the slightly wiser Lord Christopher.

Coming back after a long break is Edward Toone as Richmond (Richard’s rival), last seen for Masque in Antony & Cleopatra from 2017 (as Octavius Caesar).

Last, but by no means least, even more newcomers (to us, anyway) in the shape of James Skeggs as Derby, a lord biding his time; Chris Matthewman (recently in his own version of The Passion) as another murderer; Louis Dickens and Robin Burgess as the doomed young princes; Meryl Couper as Lord Dorset; and two ex-members of our Youth Theatre are making their 'grown-up' Masque debuts: Carmen Simoni as Anne (Richard’s wife – surely another safe position?) and Athana Leeson as Blunt, loyal to Richmond.

Behind the scenes, Rebecca Cockcroft (last seen in Treasure Island as Dr Livesey) will be John’s Assistant Director, and Clare Brittain, co-director of Shrew will try to herd the hordes backstage as Stage Manager.

The play will be set in a 1930s/40s style, a time when fascism was on the rise, in the glorious courtyard of Abington Park Museum – so fingers crossed that Richard of York does not give battle in rain…!

John Myhill directed The Duchess of Malfi (2019), Antony & Cleopatra (2017) and Our Town (2015) for Masque Theatre.